The Tradegy Of False Assumptions.

False assumptions have caused a lot of problem in our society and in our churches.

WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF ASSUMPTION?

Definition: The definition of an assumption is an idea that is formed without evidence.

One of the biggest ways to get ourselves in trouble in this life is to live a life of assumption and many do.

Illus: Makes me think of the neighborhood gossiper. As she was driving home one night she happen to see the husband of one of her neighbor’s car was parked in front of a house of a woman who was known for her loose living.

• The next day she was spreading rumors all over the neighborhood that his car was parked in front of her house all night.

• The man heard how she was spreading false rumor on him so the next night he parked his car in front of her house all night.

Listen, none of us like for people to assume bad things about us. Especially when we are not guilty of committing bad things.

Just because you think something is true does not necessarily make it to be true.

False assumptions can lead to wrong conclusions, and wrong conclusions can lead to a wrong actions.

Illus: A pastor told about how he had to rushed his baby daughter to the emergency room to have her stomach pumped. She was born without the ability to smell.

One day, she was crawling around on the floor, and she came upon a bowl of turpentine, paint thinner. It looked like milk, and she couldn’t smell. So she drank a bit and got very sick.

We all are guilty of making false assumptions.

Illus: I am like the man who says: People say I make too many assumptions. I mean, they don't say it, but I know they're thinking it...

Assuming things make me think of the school…

Illus: On the first day of school, the children brought gifts for their teacher.

• The supermarket manager's daughter brought the teacher a basket of assorted fruit. She assumed the fruit came from her dad’s store and thanked her for it.

• The florist's son brought the teacher a bouquet of flowers. She assumed it came from her dad’s florist and thanked her for the flowers.

• The candy-store owner's daughter gave the teacher a pretty box of candy. She assumed it came from her dad’s candy store and thanked her.

• Then the liquor-store owner's son brought up a big, heavy box.

• The teacher lifted it up and noticed that it was leaking a little bit... She touched a drop of the liquid with her finger and tasted it.

• "Is it wine?" she guessed.

• "No," the boy replied.

• She tasted another drop and asked, "Champagne ?"

• "No," said the little boy..........."It's a puppy!"....

I am here to tell you that ASSUMING THNGS CAN GET YOU INTO TROUBLE.

The danger of assumptions is that we live by accepting that our narrow view of information is accurate, we close ourselves off to other possibilities.

HOW DOES ASSUMPTION GET STARTED!!!

It’s easy to make assumptions. Do two things:

1. All you need is incomplete information about a situation.

2. You fill in the blanks. You connect dots that aren’t there.

That is something we do in this life, we assume something is true to only find out later there is not one shred of truth in it. NOT A SHRED!!!

Illus: Let me illustrate: A professional carpet-layer stepped back to survey a newly installed carpet he had just installed.

Reaching into his shirt pocket for a cigarette, he realized the pack was missing. At the same time he noticed a lump under the carpet in the middle of the room, about the size of the missing cigarette pack.

There was no way to retrieve his cigarette pack from under the attached carpet without ripping everything up and starting over.

Finally, he decided to beat the object flat, thereby destroying any evidence of his mistake.

Gathering his tools, the carpet layer walked out to his truck. There on the seat of his truck was the mislaid pack of cigarette.

As he lit one up, the homeowner hurried out of the house and asked, “Hey, have you seen my son’s parkeet?”

The Bible gives us some big false assumptions.

Illus: The book of Job is an epic poem that deals with the problem of suffering.

And the problem of suffering is complicated by incomplete knowledge of the cause of suffering.

Job’s friend ASSUMED they knew why Job was suffering.

What they did not know Job’s suffering was the result of a contest between God and Satan.

But Job’s friends assumed the reason that Job was suffering was due to his disobedient life.

BOY WERE THEY WRONG!!!